Main menu

2012 Ford Flex SEL: Review notes: Wishing for a turbodiesel in this stylish people mover

June 11, 2012

1 of 5A front view of the 2012 Ford Flex.

&nbsp

2 of 5The instrument panel of the 2012 Ford Flex.

&nbsp

3 of 5The cargo area of the 2012 Ford Flex.

&nbsp

4 of 5The front seats in the 2012 Ford Flex.

&nbsp

5 of 5The 2012 Ford Flex.

&nbsp

EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: With the completely redesigned Explorer on the market, the Flex may be the biggest redundancy in Ford's lineup. The Flex offers a slightly longer wheelbase and a little more overall passenger room, but the Explorer boasts a slightly higher towing capacity. The Flex offers an optional turbo V6, while the Explorer sticks with the naturally aspirated V6 or a turbo four (at least for now). But in reality, the Flex and the Explorer now seem like two different styling takes on the same six- or seven-seat front- or all-wheel-drive SUV. If Ford can afford to make and market both models, more power to it. But other than looks, there's not a lot to distinguish between the pair.

That's not to say that there's anything particularly wrong with the Flex as a fairly large, smooth-cruising utility vehicle, with a surprisingly responsive and high-revving engine. The low-riding suspension allows easy access, and interior comfort is good and highly adjustable. Driving is easy-unlike the Explorer, the Flex drives smaller than it is. A real topper for me would be to offer a sliding door option, truly making it a "flex" vehicle for those who want the ute look but would like the practicality of a minivan slider. That would make the Flex something special.

What's wrong with the car? Trying to use the voice-command Sync and MyFord Touch functions to control audio and other systems is maddening. I eventually settled on three radio stations on three bands that I could reasonably cycle among using voice commands, but touching a button would've been considerably easier. Put it this way: If voice commands are so good, why not use them to adjust seats and mirrors, or start and stop the engine, or lock the doors, or put the vehicle in gear, or steer or control various other on-board systems.

Why not? Because multilevel voice commands are the hardest way to get from point A to point B. And even when the system does respond accurately, it's so slow that I found myself overriding commands because I thought it was not responding. It was a lot like hitting the "Enter" key or clicking the mouse when the computer is running slow. It's hard to work with that in the fast-moving automotive environment.

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR CHERYL L. BLAHNIK: The Flex's retro looks hook me immediately, along with the contrasting white top. It's long and the design flows nicely along with its low ride height, which seems fitting.

The interior is sleek and clean with plenty of room even for passengers riding in the third row. The Flex is a large vehicle but drives smaller than it is, with good power from the V6.

As for why Ford is still keeping the Flex around now that the Explorer is here, well, there are some people who don't need that much towing capacity and prefer to have a stylish ride. If given the choice, I would take a Flex over the Explorer for its visual flair that isn't too common on the roads today.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: The Flex is the modern-day family truckster, today's version of the now-departed American station wagon. I loaded this Flex up with six other adults and headed off to Lansing, and the only complaint was that the air conditioning could not keep the folks in the third row cool without giving the front-seat passengers frostbite. A rear A/C option would be welcome, and frankly, with that many people aboard, the V6 in this was anemic. I had to wind it out, loudly, to get up to freeway cruising speed. I could see that the EcoBoost option would be a good choice here if buyers were going to exploit the Flex's hauling capabilities.

From the driver's seat, this is the Ford Taurus with more hauling capacity, or, at least, reconfigured hauling capacity. It drives and rides much like the Taurus, which is to say it's a pretty decent ride. With seven seats filled, the suspension wallowed a bit over dips in the road, but just about everyone commented on what a "nice ride" the car was.

For me, I'd rather drive this than just about any minivan, but if I had to haul six or seven people regularly, a minivan would be a much better choice. The passengers would be much more comfortable, as getting in and out of the third row is a bit of a contortionist's act. But I like the Flex's looks-always have-and even in this "ginger ale" green color and the white roof, this thing has presence. You can't always say that about station wagons.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Perhaps the best thing about this Flex is the interior, which I found well built, nicely designed and comfortable. I won't get into the nightmare that is Sync or MyFord Touch; that's all been well documented for the hell that it is. Overall, though, I maintain that the interior is quite nice and way roomy, and it feels far more expensive than that found on a $37,000 vehicle.

When I saw the Flex listed on the car board I was hoping for the EcoBoost, but this is a normally aspirated V6. It's not slow exactly, and the engine is nice and quiet while cruising. But the car feels labored under acceleration, and that the car weighs nearly 4,500 pounds is quite evident when you boot it. I like the EcoBoost versions a lot better. The chassis offers decent steering and the ride is fairly tight for the weight. But it can get a little rolly when you push it, which only begs the question-why are you pushing it in the first place?

Overall, I've always liked the Flex, finding it unique among crossovers and well built. Again, I'd like this one a lot better with the turbo six-cylinder.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Turbo six, Raynal? Meh. Give me a turbodiesel six and we can talk, because that's exactly the kind of powertrain a big people mover such as this needs: tons of torque and highway fuel efficiency that could probably hit mid-30s.

That's a pipe dream, of course, and for me the 2012 Ford Flex SEL did just fine with its naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6. It's a station wagon, after all, and not one with any performance intentions, stated or otherwise.

Personally, I love it. The Flex has been around for a few years now, and I still think it's one of the nicest packages on the market. As noted earlier, it drives smaller than it is, blending smooth, quiet freeway cruising with a surprising amount of agility for what's essentially a low-riding Explorer.

Interior space is what it's all about, though, and the Flex is huge. If it had a removable third-row option, the rear cargo area would be minivan-size, but as it stands, there's a good blend of utility and passenger room. I turned to look back at one of the kids while we were at a stoplight and I had to pause for a moment as I realized how far away from me they were sitting.

Our tester also had Ford's new inflatable rear seatbelts, a curiosity as we learned to maneuver them through the various clips and buckles on the kids' booster seats. They're bulky at first, but once latched with a child in the proper position they fit perfectly and actually seem to integrate with the booster even better than a standard belt.

Still, the Flex has the one flaw with which nearly all current Ford vehicles are saddled. No, not MyFord Touch, which I can figure out; it's the steep MSRP. Chances are you can find incentives on a Flex, but you'll still need to be prepared to spend in the upper-$30,000 range for one with a decent level of equipment. Let Wes Raynal talk you into an EcoBoost Flex, and you're looking at a sticker uncomfortably close to $50,000. No wonder we don't see too many around.